Most people will, at some point in their lives, require the services of an
attorney. Despite this need, many of those individuals don't know what to look
for when searching for experienced legal counsel. Here are a few of the
primary questions which you need to ask when looking for a lawyer.
How does the attorney bill and how much will your case cost?
Many people shy away from discussing billing and fees with their attorney
at first, waiting for him/her to bring it as a matter of course. There
is no need, however, to be afraid to talk with your lawyer about how he/she
bills for the work they will do on your behalf. In fact, your attorney
should be very open and willing to talk about exactly how you will be
billed for his/her services. Be wary of any attorney who is not at least
willing to explain
how he/she bills because you don't want to be surprised when the final
bill comes.
Although it is not always possible for an attorney to give a precise figure
as to how much his/her representation will cost, it is often possible
to provide an estimate as to the final fee. Depending on the type and
complexity of the case, an attorney may charge in a variety of ways such
as hourly, flat-rate, or on a contingent basis. The type of fee utilized
will affect the amount you will end up paying, and your attorney should
be prepared to explain how and why he/she has chosen that type for your case.
Is the attorney going to be able to respond to your needs as a client on
an ongoing basis?
One of the most often heard complaints regarding attorneys is that they
are unresponsive to their clients. Attorneys who fail to communicate with
their clients on a regular basis are usually not indifferent to the problems
of those they represent, but rather are too busy handling other issues
to reply. These attorneys usually lack the administrative office support
required to keep an office running smoothly, and are forced to manage
day-to-day tasks on their own. On the other hand, an attorney with an
experienced staff doesn't have to worry about running the office,
and therefore has more time to attend to his/her clients' needs.
When searching for an attorney to represent you, make sure that he/she
has a staff that is able to deal with the issues that accompany the day-to-day
operation of a law office, such as answering phone calls. Your attorney
may not always be able to speak with you immediately, but you want to
be sure that someone can, whether it be a paralegal, secretary, etc. Indeed,
sometimes it may be easier, if you have a simple question, to ask someone
on your attorney's staff rather than trying to reach him/her directly.
Is the attorney experienced dealing with the area of law governing your
legal issue?
Today, most attorneys practice in a particular field of law such as bankruptcy, divorce,
personal injury, or
criminal matters. Though it is common for many attorneys to have experience, even expertise,
in several areas of the law, no attorney can master all of them. Accordingly,
it is important to beware of any attorney who professes to be an expert
in any case that comes through the door.
If you are looking for an attorney for a particular legal problem you are
having, ask him/her about the experience he/she has practicing in that
area. If he/she actually has experience in that area, he/she should be
able to recount at least one recent case he/she worked on and the result.
Also, don't be afraid to ask your attorney for some
references. If he/she is really as good as he/she claims, your attorney should have
no problem providing you with a list of references that will verify his
reputation.
Is the attorney listening to your problems, asking questions, and giving feedback?
The easiest way to tell if an attorney is listening to you problem is to
listen to him/her. A skilled attorney will ask questions in order to get
a good sense of exactly what your legal issue is and how he/she is going
to deal with it. Be careful here, though, because each attorney has his/her
own style when approaching a client's legal problem. One attorney
might let you talk for an hour and then spend the next thirty minutes
asking you questions, while another may interrupt you after five minutes.
Also keep in mind that your legal issue may not require a lot of background
and just because your attorney does not ask you a lot of questions does
not mean that he/she does not care about your problem.
Has the attorney explained the potential for success in your case and his
ability to devote time to it?
The cold, hard truth is that many cases, although meritorious, are not
winnable. There are a myriad of reasons why any particular case will not be successful.
There may not be enough evidence in your favor or the defendant doesn't have any
money for you to collect. Your attorney should explain to you the chances that your case will be
successful and what your potential options are now and in the future should
you hire him/her. It is also important to make sure that your attorney
will devote sufficient time to give your case the best chance of success.
Ask your attorney how difficult he/she thinks it will be to win your case
and how much time he/she will spend on it. A quality attorney will discuss
the pros and cons of your case with you and then make a determination
as to your chances of success.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney today for experienced legal advice.